Читать книгу The Hebrew Bible - David M. Carr - Страница 38

Steps in the Bible’s own story	This textbook’s discussion of biblical texts and traditions in the order they were created
Creation, flood, and other materials about the origins of the world (Genesis 1–11) Stories of Israel’s patriarchs and matriarchs (e.g. Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, Joseph; Genesis 12–50) The growth of the people of Israel and their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 1–15) 40 years in the wilderness, gift of law at Sinai (Exodus 16–40; Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) Israel’s conquest of Canaan (Joshua) Tribal life under various leaders (Judges) The establishment of Saul and then David’s monarchy (1–2 Samuel) The kings of Jerusalem and Israel (1–2 Kings 17 also 1 Chronicles 10–2 Chronicles 28)	[See below, discussed later in the textbook] [See below, discussed later in the textbook, since few or no identifiable traditions in the Bible are clearly datable to these periods] [See below, discussed later in the textbook] Period of the Judges: Chapter 2. Oral traditions in Genesis 12–35, Exodus, and Judges 5. Early monarchy/David and Solomon: Chapters 3 and 4. 1–2 Samuel, Proverbs, and ancient stories of primeval families in Genesis 2–4 and 9. Later northern and southern monarchies: Chapters 5 and 6. Amos, Hosea, Micah, and early parts of Isaiah (along with possible northern traditions in Exodus, Genesis 25–35, etc.).
The later kingship in Jerusalem (after destruction of the kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 18–25//2 Chronicles 29–36)) [The Bible lacks narratives directly of this time (the book of Daniel is a much later legend)] Rebuilding of a temple‐focused community under Persian rulership (Ezra‐Nehemiah) Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books of 1–4 Maccabees	Twilight of the monarchy in Jerusalem: Chapters 7 and 8. Deuteronomy through 2 Kings, Jeremiah, Nahum, and Zephaniah. Exile of Judeans to Babylonia: Chapters 9 and 10. Lamentations, Ezekiel, Isaiah 40–55, and exilic parts of Genesis through Numbers (such as the creation account in Genesis 1 and laws in Leviticus). Return of exiles and rebuilding: Chapters 11 and 12. Haggai, Zechariah, Isaiah 56–66, Jonah, Ruth, Job, and the book of Psalms (along with parts of Ezra‐Nehemiah and Genesis through Numbers). The Hellenistic empires and crisis: Chapter 13. Sirach, Enoch, Daniel, Ezra‐Nehemiah, 1–2 Chronicles, Esther, and questions about the final formation of the Hebrew Bible (along with some on Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs).

At first this approach may be disorienting, since it involves placing familiar biblical texts in a different order and in new contexts. Take the example of the story of creation in Gen 1:1–2:3. It seems straightforward enough as it is. Why wait to talk much about this opening story of the Bible until Chapter 10 of this Introduction? As we will see, one reason is that reading Gen 1:1–2:3 in relation to the Judeans’ experience of forced exile in Babylonia (the focus of Chapter 10) explains the major emphasis in this text on the Sabbath. This is an aspect of the text that many people, especially non‐Jews, completely miss, since it has little meaning for them. But the whole seven‐day structure of the story is meant to lead up to one thing: God’s rest on the seventh day and blessing of it (Gen 2:1–3). Reading this text in relation to the Babylonian exile highlights this important feature and makes sense of other aspects of the creation story as well.

This is just one way in which academic study of the Bible is quite a different thing from study of the Bible in Sunday school or even high school religion classes in parochial schools. Many people come to a university or seminary class on the Bible expecting a summary of the contents of the Bible or indoctrination into biblical theologies or values. Others expect a devotional approach that they have learned in church Bible studies where the Bible often is read as a lesson book for life. All these approaches have their value and place, but they differ from the academic approach of a college or seminary course. Moreover, they are misleading indicators of what to expect out of such a course. Where a student might expect to work hard in a history or organic chemistry class, study of the “Bible” – especially if it’s imagined on the basis of earlier experience with religious education – promises to be easy. Yet an academic course on the Bible offers its own set of challenges, somewhat similar to those of a good course in history or English literature. Indeed, some students find academic study of the Bible especially difficult because it offers alternatives to their past interpretations of biblical texts that they cherish. These students not only must learn the course material about the Bible, but must integrate this knowledge with their beliefs and values.

The benefits of such study are substantial. Familiar texts offer new meanings. Difficult biblical texts start to make better sense when placed in their original historical contexts. Where once the Bible might have seemed a monolithic, ancient set of rules, it becomes a rich variety of different perspectives that have stood the test of time. I encourage you to be open to this approach, frequently consult the historical timeline and overview charts at the outset of the introduction to orient yourself (see pp. xx–xxiv), and learn for yourself what this way of studying the Bible has to offer.